Oso Ighodaro out for Suns home opener vs. Warriors
TLDR: Oso Ighodaro has a right oblique strain and will miss Saturday's Suns home opener vs. the Warriors, leaving Phoenix without either of its top 2 centers with Mark Williams out after shoulder surgery.
It started as a hip and turned into something milder. Jordan Ott sounded like a coach who had been ready for much worse news.
"Pretty good report overall. It's an oblique strain. He'll be out for sure tomorrow. We hope it's just more day-to-day than long-term. I think we avoided something serious." Jordan Ott on Oso Ighodaro, who will miss Suns home opener Saturday vs. Warriors. Was first diagnosed as a right hip injury. Missed 2nd half Wednesday at Blazers as he grabbed at his right hip late in the first half and checked out the game. Ighodaro sat the final preseason game with hip soreness. He played every game last season. Recently signed 3-year, $29M extension. #Suns
Ighodaro got hurt late in the first half of Wednesday's opener in Portland. He grabbed at his right hip, checked out and never came back for the 2nd half of a Suns loss. Before he left he had 8 points and 3 assists in 14:37. The bad part is that he had already sat the final preseason game with hip soreness, so a guy who played every game last season has now been banged up for a week straight. Ott was asked if the oblique was connected to the hip and said he's not a doctor, which isn't exactly a no.
The timing hurts for another reason. Phoenix just paid him. Ighodaro signed a 3-year, $29 million extension that kicks in for 2028-29 and runs through 2030-31, and the Suns picked up his $2.5 million team option for 2027-28. They didn't pay him for 22 minutes a night off the bench. With Mark Williams expected to miss a big chunk of the season after shoulder surgery, Ighodaro was supposed to be the frontcourt. Last year he played all 82 games, averaged 6.5 points and 5.1 rebounds, and shot 65.3% from the field. Now he's on the same injury report as Williams.
Suns injury report vs Warriors: OUT: Oso Ighodaro (right oblique strain) and Mark Williams (left shoulder surgery). QUESTIONABLE: Luke Kennard (left knee tendinopathy) #Suns #DubNation
One small wrinkle: Kellan Olson reported Ighodaro as doubtful on the official report, not out. That doesn't change much. Ott already said he'll be out for sure, so don't plan on a surprise. The better news is Luke Kennard. He missed the opener with left knee tendinopathy, practiced Friday, and Ott said he's trending in the right direction. Phoenix needs his shooting badly. Without Kennard in Portland, the Suns went the first 7:33 without a point.
So who plays center vs. Golden State? Khaman Maluach started the opener and gave them 2 points, 6 rebounds and a block in 17 minutes. That's fine for a second-year big, but nobody wants to lean on him for 35 minutes. Olson laid out Ott's choices.
WIth Ighodaro out and Maluach better in smaller stints, the question now becomes if the Suns go 3 centers (Timme) or use some small-ball lineups with Dunn, Fleming or Peat.
Both options are risky. Drew Timme is a two-way guy who was at practice Friday, and going small with Ryan Dunn, Rasheer Fleming or Koa Peat at the 5 means handing the paint to the Warriors and hoping you win on speed. Dunn, for his part, said what every guy getting more minutes says.
"Wishing them the best, but the next guy has got to step up and play for those guys that are down. When your time gets called, be ready to go out and play." Suns forward Ryan Dunn as Oso Ighodaro (oblique strain) will miss Saturday's game vs Warriors. Suffered injury late in first half of Wednesday's opener at Portland. Sat out 2nd half. Luke Kennard (knee) practiced Friday after missing Wednesday's opener at Portland. Also didn't play in final preseason game Oct. 16 vs. Utah. #Suns
The best-case version is the one Ott described: an oblique strain that's day-to-day, not long-term. Phoenix can live without Ighodaro for one Saturday night. If it stretches into weeks with Williams already gone, the Suns are 2 centers down and starting the season 0-2 with a lineup held together with tape. Watch the next practice report. That's the one that tells you whether this is a 1-game story or a much longer one.
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